Types of Daily Fantasy Sports tournaments

Daily fantasy sports sites offer many types of tournaments. They differ in terms of the number of players, from heads-up tournaments where you compete with just one opponent, right up to tournaments where a few thousand players take part. You can also categorise tournaments according to the amount of the entry fee, starting from free-rolls, through tournaments where the entry fee is $1 or $10, to tournaments where you have to invest $1000 up front. Every tournament will have its own particular rules as well.

Here is a list of the most common types of DFS tournament you can compete in:

Freeroll DFS

These are free tournaments where you can win real money, and they are ideal for beginners who are trying to gain experience. The main advantage of freerolls is that they give you access to daily fantasy sports without having to pay a deposit – all you need to do is to register and you can begin your DFS adventure.

Guaranteed prize pool (GPP) DFS

Each GPP tournament has a prize pool that is guaranteed by the organizer – no matter how many people play in the tournament. If the sum of entry fees for the tournament is less than the guaranteed prize pool, the organizer will pay the missing amount.

50/50 (double-up) DFS

50/50 tournaments see half of the players win double their entry fee, while the other half walk away with nothing. You can have as little as 10 people taking part or as many as several thousand. Unlike other tournaments where you need to take a risk with your player selection in order to break away from the pack, 50/50 tournaments just require a solid performance to finish in the top half.

Head-to-head (or heads-up) DFS

In head-to-head tournaments you play against only one opponent. The rules are basically the same as for 50/50 tournaments – the winner takes double their entry fee and the loser gets nothing. These can be profitable if you can identify weaker opponents and are also a fun way of competing with a friend.

Winner takes all DFS

These tournaments have only one winner while the remaining players walk away with nothing. They offer potentially huge prizes for a relatively small entry fee, but they are the most difficult to win as the odds are stacked against you. The winners of these tournaments will often take a risk with their player selection in order to set them apart from the competition.

Satellite (or qualifier) DFS

Satellite tournaments give you the chance to win a ticket to a tournament with a higher entry fee. The top daily fantasy sports tournaments can have entry fees as high as $1000, which is not affordable for most players. Thanks to satellite tournaments, which sometimes cost as little as $1 to enter, you can get a shot at playing with the high rollers without breaking the bank. Satellite tournaments can be played in different formats (GPP, winner takes all, etc.).

Private tournaments

Most DFS sites allow you to organize your own bespoke tournaments. You get to choose the sport and league, the format, the entry fee, and of course who to invite.

As you can see, daily fantasy sports sites offer a wide variety of tournaments with options for players with different interests, styles of play and budget.